dun& Bradstreet good idea or scam?
 

Being a small business owner I am always getting people calling wanting to sell me something. Now Dun and bradstreet are wanting us to sign up for there service so that we are registered. My question is this a worth while thing for a small company or is this just a waist of 500 bucks? Please let me know your experiences

We qualify ALL of our customers(and potentials) as a rule thru D&B here at Bosal

Bosal Industries?

Wow but bosal must be rather large

Yes, I work in aftermarket exhaust division Sales.

$499... that sounds like their "credit track" product. They probably will also push you to get their "self monitoring" for an extra $299.

As a government contractor, my company is required to have a DUNS number from D&B. There is no charge for a D&B account to get a DUNS number. INFO. Obtaining a DUNS number also establishes your D&B account, which contains the info that companies like Bosal would be checking. You can then update and correct info in your account for free using the eUpdate system.

The other products are, in my opinion, just a waste of money for a small business. If you really think you need to monitor what is being reported about your company, get them to send you quarterly copies of your D&B report. The cost is only $149 per year.

Interesting, I supply Bosal Warren.

I agree with cashflyer--we are required to maintain a DUNS # and occasionaly submit our rating in order to be considered "qualified bidders" for certain GCs/projects.

Not a scam.

BTW--flyer I see you have a 73 Duster 340--any pics? specs? general impressions? I am hot to get a Duster/Demon 340 and have my eye on a matching #s Petty Blue 340 /auto.

hijack over:)

No pics handy, but a PM on it's way to you now!

D&B is trying to charge you to give them your company information (some of which can be quite intrusive for a small, private company)?!? Amazing. You know what D&B does with the information they get about your business? They sell it.

Having purchased information from D&B, I can attest than many people despise them as much as I do, since the information was mostly inaccurate, anyway.

If they call you up, just multiply your annual revenues by 100 or so, and make up some names for the company officers.

DAMN!! They just called me last week, and I didn't even think about doing that!!!
Annual revenue? Sure, that was $2.1 million. Huh? Oh, yes... it was a VERY good year.

Seriously, what you said is exactly what other business owners told me about D&B.

Ben... your way too small for D & B. If you grow significantly ... call me, we can talk about #'s and see if it hold a benefit for you.
Ken

the problem with that is if you get any type of audit by the IRS...you now owe all the taxes on that fuzzy math.......I suggest you don't do that. The deal with them is they build a database of companies and track how their finaces go. I would not want to pay the $ if I wasn't in the buisness of selling stuff to other buisness, they (from my understanding) offer some type of insurance if you get hosed by a guy they say is good...and I beleive they act as a collecter for you in that case as well.

i used to work at the vw dealer by you on 9.....

Huh? How's that? D&B is a private, for profit company. They are not an arm of the IRS.

If I tell me father-in-law that I'm doing better than I am, or if I tell my loanshark I'm doing worse than I am, is the IRS going to hold me to that, too?

necessary evil.....for some web based products/authentications, having a DUNS is as important as TIN or articles.... verisign stuff comes to mind, as do some CC or ACH processors.

this company would be no different than them veiwing you bank records....well within the irs' right to see how a buisness is going(I would bet it's SOP too). I know that when a company gets into trouble, it isn't all that unusual to have their suppiler purchases audited...(fyi) I have seen that done a few times(none recently) Beleive me that will come back to haunt you if you do get audited...and even if they don't get you there, since the Enron and Worldcom deal, misstatement of company finacials is a big no no(even if you are private) as it constitutes Fraud. As far as lying to your FiL That isn't a a recorded call for one, nor a statement that bears on your creditworthiness or buisness' health.

Their phone # for service is one digit off from my home #.
Get calls frequently. Sometimes I say " Its ready ...but we found several other problems. We went ahead and fix them for you, the total bill is $4600."
I can only imagine the pissed off customer at the service counter.

:D that would be funny...

Sounds like fraud to me. :rolleyes: :D